~ Our Mission ~

“The Elmira City School District is a dynamic and innovative learning organization dedicated to developing learners of character who value their educational experience and can compete globally and contribute locally by collaborating with students, families, and community partners to provide meaningful opportunities in a safe and engaging environment for all.”

~ Core Beliefs ~

We believe that…

All decisions should be based on what is best for students.

Community support and collaboration is fundamental for student learning.

Family engagement and support is critical to student success.

Everyone deserves a safe and accepting learning environment.

Developing a sense of pride in our school community is essential.

High expectations require high levels of commitment and support for all.

All individuals will be accepted, respected, and valued for who they are.

Effective communication is vital.

The educational experience must prepare students with the skills to be career and college ready.

All students need various opportunities to be involved, actively engaged, and connected.

We must embrace change as an opportunity for growth.

The Elmira Area Community

The Elmira area offers its residents convenient living in a beautiful setting, a variety of cultural and recreational activities and a low cost of living.

Chemung County residents enjoy a cost of living below the national average. Housing is ample and affordable, with the average home selling at $80,000.

Chemung County is home to major employers such as Hardinge Inc., Kennedy Valve and Arnot Ogden Medical Center. Corning Inc. and Dresser Rand are based in neighboring Corning.

Elmira College, located in the heart of the city, is one of the top private colleges in the Northeast.The Clemens Center is a performance arts venue that hosts musicals, plays, concerts, and more.

Opportunities for advanced education are abundant and include Elmira College, Cornell University, Ithaca College, Binghamton University, Mansfield University and Corning Community College.

Among the cultural attractions enjoyed by area residents are the Clemens Center for the Performing Arts, Arnot Art Museum, Corning Museum of Glass, Chemung County Historical Museum, The Center for Mark Twain Studies, The Rockwell Museum, Sullivan's Monument and Living History Center, the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center and the National Soaring Museum.

Elmira is the home of the Jackals professional minor-league hockey team and the Pioneers collegiate summer baseball team. The Jackals play home games at First Arena in downtown Elmira, which also hosts concerts, performances and expositions.

Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) wrote many of his finest works during summers spent in Elmira, the home of his wife Olivia. Twain is buried in Elmira's Woodlawn Cemetery, as are many of our other famous sons and daughters, plus veterans of every war since the Revolution including the only Confederate remains north of the Mason-Dixon line.

The Near Westside Neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a showcase of Victorian architecture. A major Civil War prison camp was located here.

General Sullivan's Revolutionary forces scored a decisive victory in the Battle of Newtown on the hills overlooking the Chemung River, which flows through the heart of the city.

Elmira is within easy driving distance of all major northeast cities: Philadelphia (214 mi.), New York City (227 mi.), Toronto (245 mi.), Pittsburgh (265 mi.), Washington, D.C. (272 mi.), and Cleveland (301 mi.). A full-service airport is a 15-minute drive from most points in the county and offers daily service to major East Coast hubs.

Located at the gateway of New York's scenic Finger Lakes Region, residents and tourists alike enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, camping, hunting, skiing and sight-seeing, including the spectacular fall foliage.

Within an hour's drive are Watkins Glen, with its famous gorge and International Raceway; the Finger Lakes (handprint of the "Great Spirit," according to Native American folklore); Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon and many of New York State's award-winning wineries.

Website Accessibility Statement - The Elmira City School District is committed to providing a website that is accessible to all members of our community. Good faith efforts are being made to ensure that our website complies with web accessibility standards. If you have difficulty accessing information on our website, please contact our community information specialist and provide the full URL (web address) of the material you tried to access, the problem you experienced, and your contact information. We will contact you and make every effort to assist you in accessing the information. Please note that some pages contain links to third-party sites. Elmira City School District is not responsible for the content, facts, opinions or accessibility of third-party sites. To file a Section 504/ADA complaint with the district please contact the district Title IX/504 Coordinator. Any complaint may also be referred to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), 32 Old Slip, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10005, telephone (646) 428-3800 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (TTY).